


The Christmases of Tony Stark

by TheDoctorin221b



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Superfamily (Marvel), and a happy start, its sad in the middle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 00:57:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9048925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDoctorin221b/pseuds/TheDoctorin221b
Summary: The whole of Stark Tower was decorated in tinsel, Santa’s and worst of all mistletoe. Tony was trying to avoid all the places where he knew the mistletoe had been placed but today he seemed to have failed. He had been pulled out of bed by an exited Clint and dragged into the kitchen where luckily there was a plate of food and cup of coffee waiting, he began a moment before Steve sat next to him and stopped when he realised the whole room had gone quiet.





	

CHRISTMAS DAY – 2012

The whole of Stark Tower was decorated in tinsel, Santa’s and worst of all mistletoe. Tony was trying to avoid all the places where he knew the mistletoe had been placed but today he seemed to have failed. He had been pulled out of bed by an exited Clint and dragged into the kitchen where luckily there was a plate of food and cup of coffee waiting, he began a moment before Steve sat next to him and stopped when he realised the whole room had gone quiet.

“What’s up, did you just realise how amazing I am?” Tony joked taking a swig of coffee.

Then everyone was laughing and high fiving, after he still remained confused Bruce pointed to something above Tony and of course Tony looked up to see a sprig of mistletoe hung on the place on the ceiling directly between him and Steve, he slowly looked down to see the super-soldier blushing as he glanced up at the offending plant. Tony licked his lips, finally, finally there was an opportunity to do something about the crush he’d had on the Captain since they saved the world last summer. With that in mind he leaned forward and kissed the great Captain America.

CHRISTMAS DAY – 2014

Tony was sleeping deeply, happy and fulfilled he dreamed of inventions and gorgeous blonde superheroes. He groaned as he felt something shift next to him slowly awakening him, he felt strong arms wrap around him pressing his face into a firm chest he heard a rhythmic heartbeat, the opened his eyes after he felt a soft kiss pressed to his forehead.

“Merry Christmas.” Steve said, a small smile brightening up his face.

“Mmmm, what have you got me for Christmas Captain?” Tony asked winking suggestively.

“Depends on how good you’ve been.” Steve countered leaning down to kiss Tony passionately.

30 minutes later the two men lay tangled in each-other’s arms, both in their own worlds.

“Do you love him, I mean when you saw him again did you feel those feelings again?” Tony asked his voice small and vulnerable as he looked into Steve’s eyes.

“I’ll admit I did feel something when I saw him again after all those years thinking he was dead, how could I not? But it wasn’t love, it was more familiarity. The thing is he was my first love and I’ll always feel something when I see him but you Tony Stark are my true love and that will never change, I promise.” Steve said finishing with a kiss.

“Do you miss it? The arc reactor I mean.” Steve asked after a few more minutes, his fingers tracing the scars on Tony’s chest where the reactor used to be.

“Sometimes, it was the thing that showed I was still alive, my reason for being here. But I have a new reason now.” Tony declared taking Steve’s had from his chest and kissing each finger before moving to his mouth.

“HEY LOVEBIRDS, ENOUGH HANKY PANKY LET’S OPEN PRESENTS.” Clint shouted banging their bedroom door.

“Hanky panky? I know you’re already a dad Barton but you don’t have to start talking like one yet.” Tony shouted back sitting up.

Steve and Tony laughed as they both got dressed and exited the bedroom, walking into the bedroom they saw Clint, Natasha, Rhodey, Happy, Pepper, Sam and their new arrivals Wanda, Vision and the Barton’s with their new baby sitting around the Christmas tree grinning like exited kids. Steve noticed Tony look slightly sad that his friend Bruce wasn’t there and Tony noticed the same look on Steve but because Bucky wasn’t there. Tony tried to push down the jealousy he felt by remembering what Steve had told him but he still felt that Bucky could and would someday pull them apart.

 

CHRISTMAS DAY – 2016

 

Tony groaned as the sunlight flitted through the window of his London penthouse and straight into his half-open eyes. His head pounded with a mixture of three hours’ sleep and the two bottles of whiskey he drank last night. Tony buried his head into his pillow just thinking about last night, before turning over and looking to his bedside table where the flip-phone sat silently. Last week Natasha had called in the early evening to say she was spending Christmas with ‘friends’ which Tony knew she meant Clint and the rest of them in their undercover base, then a few hours after that Rhodey had called to say that he was spending his Christmas with some of his friends from the force. After this he started the first bottle of whiskey knowing that he would be alone with just Vision of Christmas, he had finished the first bottle by the time Vision walked through the wall and into his workshop to tell him the exact same thing Natasha had said. He threw the bottle at the robot’s head in anger but it went through him and hit the wall, he shouted at him to get out and Vision did so with a look of concern towards the engineer, the next day he got the first flight to London, just to get away from the loneliness of knowing his friends had all abandoned him for the holiday season. The rest of the week was a blur to Tony after he had opened the minibar on the plane and reached for the nearest bottle.

Meanwhile Steve sat motionless as his friends celebrated happily around him, he was miserable all he think of was Tony and how both Nat and Vision had told him that the engineer was all alone today. Steve’s mother had always told him that no one should be alone for Christmas, it was probably the reason he’d stent some of his childhood Christmases with homeless people, travellers and orphans in the house. While he was thinking Bucky came over to sit next to him, he took Steve’s hand giving it a comforting squeeze and kissed his knuckles lovingly but all Steve felt was a wave of guilt and regret.

“I…I need to go.” Steve gasped out standing up. Immediately the whole room went quiet before Bucky stood up next to him.

“Go where Steve, you’re a criminal rebel, you’ll be arrested or shot, your home is here now with us, with me.” Bucky said softly resting his forehead on Steve’s.

“No, I don’t, you’re not him.” Steve stammered pushing his old friend and first love away, hard.

Bucky landed on the floor with a look like a kicked puppy but Steve was out of the door before he could notice and apologise.

Steve walked through the streets of London, it was the best hiding place for their secret base mostly because it was mainly in America that they were wanted criminals. The Christmas markets were out but the huts were all closed up, the vendors probably at home with their loved ones. Steve had thought that all his loved ones had died while he was in the ice, that was until he met Tony, his energy and his brilliant mind had been unstoppable and Steve had thought him completely out of his league that was until some conveniently placed mistletoe and a then a few glasses of eggnog. He walked until he reached Hyde Park, he walked through the gates and sat down on the grass letting out a sob. He left Tony, he just left him standing there in the middle of Stark Tower, Steve had been ready to say those four words, had already began bending on of his knees before Sam rushed in shouting about how he had found Bucky. Steve had stopped his decent, completely frozen before making the wrong choice and standing up to follow Sam out the door. He acted like he didn’t see the tears falling down Tony’s face, the betrayal on his face and most of all the self-hate written on his amazing beautiful face as the door closed for them both. Steve cried, he sat on the grown feeling cold and damp and horrible and then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Tony needed to get out of the house, he needed to breath in the cold air and watch the birds, he needed to forget, forget the past betrayals and disappointments and focus on something new, something that wasn’t corrosive to his mind and body like the alcohol. So he grabbed his coat and walked out the door, he walked mindlessly around for hours thinking while his feet moved at their own accord. Steve had once enquired if Tony ever thought about having a family, Tony had replied that he already had one and at that moment he had meant it, he had the family he always wanted. He could remember it clearly now, his family; Pepper mothering him to eat and sleep regularly, Clint challenging to Mario Kart and beating him spectacularly, Bruce helping him with experiments and exchanging data, doing weapons training with Natasha and usual ending up flat on his back wheezing, introducing Thor to pop culture and laughing as he attempted the single ladies dance, watching football matches on the TV with Rhodey and arguing about the best team, Wanda attempting to teach him how to cook only to give up after three tries at making scrambled eggs left the kitchen looking like a bomb site, giving Vision advice on being more human and how to act indiscrete about his feelings for Wanda, helping Sam improve his wings and arguing about the colours and Steve. Steve laughing, sketching, fighting to protect him both on the battlefield and off, Steve just waking up, the sun dusting over his sandy hair, his face peaceful and a small smile gracing his features as his eyes slowly opened to meet Tony’s. But now he could see a different answer to the question; he could see Steve making coffee in the morning, humming as he moved around the kitchen, he could see Steve picking up the cups and carrying them into their bedroom, he could see himself holding a babbling toddler on his lap and explain mechanics to them as Steve watched from the doorway in wonder.

He only realised he was crying when a tear rolled down his nose making him shiver, he cried then, he sat down on a bench in the park and let his pain and anger and sorrow out. Once his sobs subsided into hiccups he looked up to see a large blonde man sat on the grass across the park from him, he could see his back shaking so he guessed he was also sobbing. Tony argued with himself about going over, he didn’t want to get involved with more people just for them the leave, he didn’t think he could do with any-more pain but then again it was Christmas and two lonely heartbroken souls together were probably better than two by themselves. With that in mind he got up from the bench, shaking out his numb limbs before walking slowly towards the figure, he reached the person, saw the familiar sandy hair, broad shoulders and muscled body and placed a comforting hand on their shoulder.

Steve turned to see the one person he needed to see, the one person he loved most in the world but also the person he’d hurt most in the world, he knew in this moment seeing the shock, confusion and distrust dance across Tony’s face that he had to make it right, had to make his feelings know and had to make up for all the hurt he’d caused.

“I’m sorry.” Steve croaked out pathetically, his mind blank on how to correct his mistakes.

“Why, you won, maybe not in the eyes of the law but you got everyone on your side, you got the person you love and you get to spend Christmas surrounded by all of them.” Tony said bitterly, more tears threatening to fall.

“But I didn’t though because you are the person I love, you’re the person I love most in this world, you made my life were living after I woke up and thought everyone I knew had died and you became even more than that, you became the person I love more than Bucky, more than Peggy, even more than my parents, you became the person I could see myself spending my life with. I made the worst decision of my life when I left you in that room to go find Bucky, I still have the ring and god knows the words I was going to say will always be burned into my brain as the right choice where I made the wrong one back then. Now I’m not asking if we can go back to how we were or get back what we had but I am asking for your forgiveness. Tony Stark I am so sorry for breaking your heart and for all the shit that’s happened since I went after Bucky, if I could go back and change it I would in a second, I’d tell Sam to go find Bucky himself and then I’d do what I’d been wanting to do since I met you, but I can’t all I’m asking for is your forgiveness and maybe, if it’s even possible, your friendship.” Steve finished his speech standing in front of Tony their hands inches from touching.

“I...I don’t know, you hurt me Steve, you told me I was your true love and Bucky was your first and that your love for me was stronger than your love for him and then you went and chose him over me. I thought we were going to have a life together, I started imagine a family of us and our friends and maybe more later down the line but then you went and tore that family and the dream of a new one apart, you were my reason for living, not Pepper, not ironman, not my inventions, you Steve and then you left. But I do agree with the things you’ve said, I love you more than anything or anyone in the world, I’ve admired you since I heard about you as a kid and then when I actually met you, you were everything I thought you’d be and more, you took my breath away and treated me like I was worth more than I think I am and you made every day with you amazing. So I forgive you and I’d very much like to be friends and maybe if we can regrow trust we can move from there. OK? Now do you want to come back to mine for hot chocolate, its freezing out here.” Tony said shivering a little.

Steve nodded before reaching forward to hug Tony, at first Tony stiffened surprised by the hug but then he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the super-soldiers middle fondly remembering all the hugs they had shared and how good it felt to feel safe in the arms of Steve Rogers again, like the world couldn’t hurt him but then he remembered that it could hurt him because the very person hugging him and protecting him from the hurt had been the one to cause it. However Tony pushed those thoughts away, reminding himself that he had forgiven Steve and they were going to try and move past their past problems. With all this in mind he leaned his head up from Steve’s shoulder to press a brief kiss on his lips. A seal of forgiveness and promise of what was yet to come.

 

CHRISTMAS DAY – 2020

 

Tony was awoken by a small body sitting itself on his chest, he groaned and turned onto his side which threw the child off and onto the bed giggling.

“Daddy, wake up, its Christmas.” The child said standing up to jump on the bed around Tony excitedly.

“That’s nice, why don’t you go tell papa.” Tony mumbled refusing to open his eyes yet.

“Papa already knows silly, he’s getting Peter ready, he said ‘coffee is in the kitchen for when you get up.’” The child recited before running out the room.

Only then did Tony open his eyes, stretching tiredly, it had been his turn on night feeds and because of the thunder storm he hadn’t got much sleep. He smiled as he remembered all the great years they had had since that Christmas day in Hyde Park 4 years ago, it had been slow going at first, regaining trust had been a big issue for both of them but they had eventually gotten to the point where they trusted each other enough to start a relationship. Things had moved fast after that, the days and nights were filled with passion, love and commitment, Bucky apologised to Tony for everything but he lay low for a while, giving the couple time with each other. Tony spent a lot of time trying to get the government to drop the charges of Steve and the others and even Bucky but eventually it worked and Steve and the rest of the team were once again free people but Bucky was on house arrest at Stark Tower which was the condition of his release. After that things Steve had proposed fully this time and just a year after they married they adopted three year old Maria Stark-Rogers and then a year later they welcomed Peter Stark-Rogers and here they were a year later, a happy family. This Christmas they were spending the holidays on Tony’s private island in the Caribbean and due to the nice weather Tony had managed to persuade Steve to let them have a laid-back BBQ on the beach.

Tony got up and put some clothes on before exiting the bedroom for the kitchen to see Steve cooking breakfast with Peter on his hip, he hummed a bit and smiled when he saw Tony in the doorway.

“Merry Christmas honey, here can you take him, breakfast will be ready in a minute. Bruce called a few minutes ago, he said him and the others will be here by 11 because the pilot had to change course due to last nights storm.” Steve said handing the baby to Tony.

The rest of the day was a rush of setting up the BBQ and tables, barbequing, welcoming everyone to the private island and panicking (Steve did most of that) but it was all worth it when everyone sat down on the sand with plates of food and beers all grinning as they shared stories and memories and watched the fireworks coming from a neighbouring island.

After putting his son to sleep, Tony stood in the door of the house smiling and looked around at his large family. Steve with Maria on his lap, both their smiles bright in wonder and happiness, Natasha and Bruce holding hands in the dim light, Wanda and Vision leaning on each other in quiet comfort, Thor lying on the sand with Jane next to him, Bucky and Sam cuddling happily, Darcy drinking her beer next to Loki who was pouting about something she had said, Rhodey, Pepper and Happy fondly arguing about something together, T’challa smiling in peacefulness as he lay on the sand, Clint and his family sitting together laughing about something, Scott was also sat with his daughter joking about something and their new stranger friends were there as well Stephen was sat next to his girlfriend Christine talking softly and Peter Quill and his guardian group were huddled around the newly-made campfire exchanging ghost stories.

“You just going to stand there grinning like a loon or are you going to join us?” Steve called with a small smile.

Tony laughed and went to sit next to his husband, cuddling his daughter when she moved to sit on his lap, resting his chin on her head as he listened to Stephen talking about discovering new universes and something about mutant superheroes. It was in this moment that Tony was the happiest he’d ever been, he was surrounded by his friends. No, his family and he wouldn’t change any of them for the world.


End file.
